Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-06-17
Rn.inc-- mnhi,- of Fnrmcr..


at an Ohio farmers club on the Farmer
IA Business Man, as given by Waldo f.
Brown in the National Stockman and Far
mer. The points made in the discussion
apply equally well to our locality. The
present company of course being excepted,
it was acknowledged by all the members
present that as u class farmers were def
cient in business habits, but think that all
of us were of the opinion that our own
members who were progressive enough to
maintain n good farmers club were not
particularly open to criticism in this respect.
1t was deemed proper, however, that the
question should be discussed and that each
one Of US in our own neighborhood should
try to help others to form business habits
Zone point which seemed to be well taken
was that farmers did not wisely forecast,
and it was suggested that it would be found
helpful if at the beginning of each year
they do just what is done by the different
departments of our government-that is,
make a careful estimate of probable ex-
penditures and of income, and see how
they will balance, and if it is found that
the probabilities are that the outlay will ex-
coed income, cut down expenses in advance
1t was also suggested that each farmer
should take an inventory Of personal prop
erty once year at a stated time, and re
cord it in a book kept for the purpose SO
that he could compare the lists readily.
"One member Of the club stated that he
had done this every spring for the past
eight years, and found it quite an ndvan-
tage to have the lists to compare with each
other If the farmer will keep "A memo
randum at the time the assessor calls on
him it will be very easy from it TO prepare
such a statement Of his personal property
as he will wish to preserve.
Another point brought out in the discus
sion was that many farmers were not as
careful of their credit as they should be.
The fact that the farmer was fixture on
his land to a great extent made merchants,
manufacturers and agents more willing to
trust him than men of most other classes
and the farmer often was careless about
meeting the obligations he assumed, and
was also tempted to buy many things he
could 90 without, simply because he could
get long credit Asaproof that farmers
were unbusness-like in the matter of cred
it, the fact was referred to that at public
sales of farm property n credit of twelve
months would usually advance the price
two or three times as much as lawful inter
est. The leading banker Of our town had
also stated to one of our members that
farmers often came into the bank i'm n rape
because he had sent them a notice that
their notes would be due ON "A certain day.
and others had paid no attention to such
notices.
another proof of unhusiness like habits
was that large per cent of farmers kent
no accounts They do not charge the mer
chant with produce sold him, or even car
ry pass book, but depend ON the mer-
chants books entirely, letting the account
run full year, and often do not know
within "A hundred dollars the amount of
their account
ITO a still greater extent is it true that
they do not keep an account with their own
business, and while the manufacturer
knows to penny what it costs him to pro-
duce the article he offers to the public. and
the merchant can strike "A balance and tell
just what he has made-or lost-durinr the
year, with the farmer it is mostly guess
work. Those farmers are lacking in bust
ness qualifications who feed in a haphazard.
wasteful way, and unfortunately there are
many who do this. A little scientific
knowledge, which is open 10 all. would
show that overfeeding and understanding
are both wasteful, that feeding on a single
article of diet-unless it is grass or milk
which are the two perfect foods-is nearly
always wasteful, and that larger per cent
of gain can be had from given amount of
food by judiciously combining bulky and
condensed foods, and by feeding ration
which contains all the elements which build
mp and repair the waste of the animal, and
contains them in the right proportions.
"Still another point in which the farmer
needs business education is in buying and
selling Farmers pay too large profits on
many classes of goods, and often are not
wise in finding a market for their produce
There is no necessity of selling butter to
the huckster at 10 cents a pound while the
consumer but few miles away, is paying
% cents for the same article. Neither is it
necessary for the farmer TO pay from 40 to
60 per cent more than the manufacturer
receives for his farm implements These
large margins are relic Of the DAYS of
long credits and the cash paying farmer
ought not 10 pay them, and need not, if he
Will post himself ON the cost of goods. and
buy as near headquarters as possible. l
say what know 10 be true in this matter.
for | have had but little difficulty in buy
ing goods Of this kind at wholesale prices
for cash
The multitudes Of swindles perpctrated
on farmer, Is another evidence that they
need more business education. To emu
merate briefly the frauds practiced upon
farmers Of which have a personal knovl- |
edge would take up twice the room al
lotted u this article, and then there are al
ways dupes found among them for eacb
new game, Usually it is the farmers own
cupidity which leads him into the trap He
is u Ice given an agency with immense
profits, and is 10 make these profits from
sales Ia his neighbors One important les /
son for farmers 10 learn is to look with sus- .
picion upon, and give no advantage 10. the .
man who offers more than 100 cents worth .
IF goods for one dollar
Another thing which many farmers lack